


Beauty Incarnate

by Marviscatstone



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Can't Promise a Happy Ending, Confusion, Demons, Ghirahim is a poor confused person, Link is oblivious but when is he not, Love, M/M, Mostly Canon Compliant, No They Do Not Kiss, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, Stop Asking, Unrequited Love, cut the boy some slack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 02:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20074609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marviscatstone/pseuds/Marviscatstone
Summary: Once is a curiosity. Twice is coincidence. Three times is beginning to be irritating. By the fourth, it's clear this is destiny. Fifth, Ghirahim falls, and falls way too hard.And the sixth time their paths cross, Ghirahim can feel his heart tearing open with every strike of that damned sword.





	1. Curiosity

The first time Ghirahim saw him, he thought it was a mistake.

His tornado had done its job. The Spirit Maiden scurried around on the Surface like the insect he longed to squish her as. But the boy... the boy was not intended.

But judging by the wonder in those bright blue eyes, the mistake was appreciated.

Those eyes were as blue as the sky he had fallen from, and even when he frowned in concentration, they were still curious and hopeful. The boy had almost no skill with a sword and was rudimentary with a sling, yet somehow he had made it all the way to the Deep Woods. Not unscathed, no, but still, he was alive.

Ghirahim watched as he drew the slingshot and knocked down the curled vine so he could swing up on top of the ledge. The Demon Lord's lips curled in a smile as the boy walked confidently into the tunnel.

It was curious. But if the boy stayed out of his way, it would not be a problem.

Ghirahim snapped his fingers and teleported away.

The child was pretty enough, he supposed. His hair was dirty blond, just enough to be gold. The green of his tunic perfectly matched the deep forest color of the trees' leaves. The sword rang warning bells, but it was nothing that he could not handle.

The boy was nothing. Whether he was after the Goddess or not, he was not even strong enough to be a distraction.

Beautiful or not.


	2. Coincidence

Ghirahim was upset.

No, that was perhaps not the best description of how he felt. He was _furious. _ENRAGED!

That foolish Spirit Maiden, who should have been easy to catch, had instead proven quite elusive. She had run, and the Goddess' dog had helped her!

Even as lost in anger as he was, his ears twitched as the doors behind him began to open, scraping on the floor. He could feel the presence the sword, infused with divine power. Which meant there was only one person who could be carrying it.

In anger, Ghirahim struck the door with his sword.

There was a bright flare of light as he met the Goddess' barrier. Damn it!

Soft footsteps echoed behind him, but he didn't bother to turn around. Not yet.

He let his sword melt away and spoke.

"Look who it is."

Ghirahim turned, tossing his hair as he did so. "I thought that tornado I stirred up would've tossed and torn you apart, yet here you are. Not in pieces."

His malice was clear in his voice, yet the boy didn't move. Ghirahim turned back to the door. Teleporting through the Goddess' barrier was ill-advised, but a possibility.

But the boy would be _such _fun to play with. Besides, perhaps if he rid himself of all this excess energy, he wouldn't kill the Spirit Maiden on the spot.

"Not that your life or death has any consequence. It's just the girl that matters now and I can sense her here...just beyond this door. Yes, we plucked Her Majesty from her perch in the clouds and now she's ours."

He could sense the wariness radiating from the child. It was worth it, almost, to feel that fear—fear of _him._

"Oh, but listen to me. I'm being positively uncivil. Allow me to introduce myself." He tossed his hair, more for show than anything else. "I am the Demon Lord who presides over this land you look down upon, this world you call the Surface. You may call me Ghirahim." He shrugged. "In truth, I very much prefer to be indulged with my full title, Lord Ghirahim...but I'm not fussy."

The boy, instead of stepping back like he'd expected, took two steps forward and drew his sword with a soft _shing._

What a—

"Did you really just draw your sword? Foolish boy." Ghirahim turned around, taking in the set of the boy's features as he spread his arms. "By all rights, the girl should have fallen into our hands already." Thinking about that just made him angry all over again and he curled inward, attempting to regain a sense of calm. "She was nearly ours when that loathsome servant of the goddess snatched her away." His power crackled in the air, filling the room with tension. "Do you have any idea how that made me feel inside? Furious! Outraged! Sick, with ANGER!"

He teleported away. Some of his anger was calmed by amusement as he watched the child glance around, blue eyes darting as he tried to figure out where the demon's voice was coming from.

"This turn of events has left me with a strong appetite for bloodshed." He walked noiselessly up behind the boy and leaned over to whisper in his ear, thoroughly enjoying the flinch he earned. "Still, it hardly seems fair, being of my position, to take all my anger out on you. Which is why I promise up front not to murder you... No, I'll just beat you within an inch of your life!" He wiggled his tongue in the air, hissing like a snake. The boy cringed and spun away, ready for battle.

Ghirahim laughed and threw back his head, allowing his cape to melt away. He met the fury in those ocean eyes with a sultry look and licked his lips.

Yes...he would_ enjoy _this.

Predictably, the boy struck at him. He caught the sword with two fingers and ripped it out of the weak grip, tossing it in his hands. The divinity in the blade burned him, otherwise he would have gladly cut the boy down with his own weapon.

"Hah, quite the sword you have here. But as long as you telegraph your attacks like the novice you are, you'll never land a blow."

The boy backed up and Ghirahim threw the sword at him. The child backflipped out of the way —interesting— and ran to pick up the sword.

The boy was more wary this time, positioning his sword for an upward diagonal stroke. Ghirahim inwardly sighed. Honestly, did he not have the capability to learn?

But as he raised his hand to catch the sword, the boy changed directions at the last second, slashing at him quickly and catching him off guard. The child actually got a few blows in before Ghirahim leapt away.

He regarded the child with new respect. This fight would not be as easy as he thought. But he had never promised to fight fair.

Ghirahim licked his lips, exulting in the boy's cringe. He raised his hand and called his sword back to his side. He rushed the boy, swinging his sword and knocking the green-clad child off his feet.

The boy rose quickly, shaking his head to clear it. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ghirahim rushed him again. But this time, the child was ready. His sword bounced harmlessly off the wooden shield, knocking him off balance. The boy swung, managing a hit before Ghirahim leapt back.

The demon snapped his fingers, summoning a row of daggers. With flick of his hand, he sent them flying at the boy, listening in satisfaction to the grunt as two of them found their mark. He sent more daggers, watching as the boy deflected them with a stroke of his sword and sent them flying back. Ghirahim blocked them with his own sword. So the child was a quick learner. That was good. It made him a worthy opponent.

Ghirahim teleported behind him, hoping to catch the boy off guard, but the boy spun and attacked before he could move. That made sense. After all, he'd used that tactic before.

The battle continued, but as he regained his breath after a few more blows the sky child he managed to land, he realized something was missing.

"Well...you put up more of a fight than I would have thought possible out of such a soft boy." He kept his sword poised, mindful of an attack. "But don't clap for yourself quite yet. That sword of yours is the only reason you still live."

He tilted his head, watching the child's expression as he delivered his next words. "I fear I spent far too long teasing and toying with you. The girl's presence has all but faded from this place, which means there's no reason to linger here."

His voice took on a firm, yet mocking tone, imitating the concern of a mother. "Good-bye, sky child. Run and play this time. Get in my way again, though, and you're dead."

He swung his sword in an arc and vanished.

It was coincidence. Twice was only coincidence. The fact that the boy kept him from reaching the girl was merely a minor setback. He would find her again and catch her this time.

Though he had an uncomfortable feeling he would see the child again.


End file.
